Families for Orphans provides information about orphans, orphan ministry, and adoptions. Our goal is to help orphans get into families... and to provide love and hope for children who do not have a family.

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Jeff Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, speaks out regarding a recent article, "The Evangelical Adoption Crusade" that appeared in "The Nation". Writes Medefind on Christianity Today's web posting: The article "spotlights many complex questions and sad stories, but misses the far larger reality. That reality is that there are millions of children who will wake tomorrow morning without the love of mother or father. Many of them live in orphanages and on the streets. These children need families. Yes, great wisdom must be applied in discerning what is truly best for each child. Some can be reunited with relatives. Some will need to spend years in an institution. But a great many, we can pray, will find the love and belonging of family via adoption, both local and international."

Are you considering international adoption? The U.S. government (State Department) publishes information each year on the number of adoptions, cost of adoptions, average time periods, etc, for international adoptions. You can view their report here.

The Bible and our Lord have much to say about caring for orphans and widows. One of our favorites is Deut. 24:19. God blesses all the works of those who give a portion of their income to help orphans, widows, and strangers. Consider partnering with Big Family Mission in our outreach to Russian and Eastern European orphans: http://www.bigfamilyministry.org/ .

Here are many of the verses in the Bible that talk about helping orphans.

you sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms 1 of the orphans you crushed.

Jer 49:11

Leave your orphans behind and I will keep them alive. Your widows too can depend on me.”

Exo 22:22

“You must not afflict any widow or orphan.

Jam 1:27

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Job 24:3

They drive away the orphan’s donkey; they take the widow’s ox as a pledge.

Pro 23:10

Do not move an ancient boundary stone, or take over the fields of the fatherless,

Job 31:17

If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans,

Psa 94:6

They kill the widow and the one residing outside his native land, and they murder the fatherless.

Psa 109:9

May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow!

Deu 16:14

You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages.

Isa 10:2

to keep the poor from getting fair treatment, and to deprive the oppressed among my people of justice, so they can steal what widows own, and loot what belongs to orphans.

Psa 10:18

You defend the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them.

Psa 68:5

He is a father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. God rules from his holy palace. Isa 9:17

So the sovereign master was not pleased with their young men, he took no pity on their orphans and widows; for the whole nation was godless and did wicked things, every mouth was speaking disgraceful words. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.

Psa 10:14

You have taken notice, for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering. The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; you deliver the fatherless.

Exo 22:24

and my anger will burn and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives will be widows and your children will be fatherless.

Deu 10:18

who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing.

Deu 24:17

You must not pervert justice due a resident foreigner or an orphan, or take a widow’s garment as security for a loan.

Psa 146:9

The Lord protects those residing outside their native land; he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked.

Eze 22:7

They have treated father and mother with contempt within you; they have oppressed the foreigner among you; they have wronged the orphan and the widow within you.

Zec 7:10

You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow human being.

Job 6:27

Yes, you would gamble for the fatherless, and auction off your friend.

Mal 3:5

“I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Jer 5:28

That is how they have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to the evil things they do. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.

Jer 7:6

Stop oppressing foreigners who live in your land, children who have lost their fathers, and women who have lost their husbands. Stop killing innocent people in this land. Stop paying allegiance to other gods. That will only bring about your ruin.

Job 29:12

for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him;

Job 31:18

but from my youth I raised the orphan like a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow!

Psa 109:12

May no one show him kindness! May no one have compassion on his fatherless children!

Deu 14:29

Then the Levites (because they have no allotment or inheritance with you), the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows of your villages may come and eat their fill so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work you do.

Deu 16:11

You shall rejoice before him – you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites in your villages, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows among you – in the place where the Lord chooses to locate his name.

Deu 26:12

When you finish tithing all your income in the third year (the year of tithing), you must give it to the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows so that they may eat to their satisfaction in your villages.

Deu 26:13

Then you shall say before the Lord your God, “I have removed the sacred offering from my house and given it to the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows just as you have commanded me. I have not violated or forgotten your commandments.

‘Cursed is the one who perverts justice for the resident foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’

Jer 22:3

The Lord says, “Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows. Do not kill innocent people in this land.

Deu 24:20

When you beat your olive tree you must not repeat the procedure; the remaining olives belong to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow.

Isa 1:23

Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.

Deu 24:19

Whenever you reap your harvest in your field and leave some unraked grain there, you must not return to get it; it should go to the resident foreigner, orphan, and widow so that the Lord your God may bless all the work you do.

Please read this letter from Dr. John Leininger, an advocate for orphans and all the people of Haiti.

Dr. Leininger is desperately seeking families for many of the older kids at the HCRM (Haiti Children's Rescue Mission) orphanage in Petionville, Haiti.Please pray for each of the following children to have a forever family commit to their adoption BEFORE their 16th birthdays.Thank you!

This is from Dr. John Leininger:

On January 12, 2010, Haiti suffered the worst natural disaster in modern times, leaving tens of thousands of orphaned children to add to an already large number of children in orphanages.By Haitian law, these children must be sent away from the orphanage by their 16th birthday to most likely live in extreme poverty on the streets.

Haiti Children’s Rescue Mission (HCRM) has three times the number of orphans as they did before the earth quake and a number of them are coming close to their 16th birthday. A child must have their dossiers in Haiti’s Adoption Services (IBESR) by their 16th birthday to be adopted.This process generally takes 6 months.The first five children listed are getting close to their sixteenth birthday, which will mean that they will no longer be able to be adopted and will have to be sent away. Please prayerfully consider if the Lord is leading you to adopt one of these orphans.

An adoption costs $9,000 plus travel and other miscellaneous expenses.If you adopt a child, you will receive a tax refund, not a tax credit, of $13,170.00 for 2010, therefore your adoption generally will be free. Please help save these children from a life of poverty and abuse. Visit the web site at www.ourchildreninhaiti.com/ or contact me directly at 210-325-5030 or jleininger15@yahoo.com. Thank you for your love and concern for these “poorest of the poor” children.-- Dr. John Leininger, friend of HCRM.

Diana Desgranges (July 14, 1995)

Diana came to HCRM after the earthquake. I can tell you that she has proven to be one of the sweetest and hardest workers at the orphanage. She works and plays with the younger children and helps with housekeeping chores around HCRM. I pray that she is given a chance at life other than what awaits her when she “ages out”, but time is very short for her.

Clifford Maurice (July 28, 1995)

Clifford is a smart young man whose life has been very hard.He likes to please people and loves the Lord. He survived the earthquake, but many of his family did not and they could no longer feed him. He wants to be given a chance to show how hard he will work to become a faithful, godly young man.He desires to be in a warm, loving family.

Rose-Missie Vital (Sept. 29, 1995)

Rose-Missie is a beautiful young girl from Les Cayes, Haiti. Her mother abandoned her when she was eight months old and her father died in May 2009. Her grandmother took her in but soon fell ill and was unable to continue to provide for her. She came to HCRM in Jan. 2010 hoping to find a loving family that would help her fulfill her dreams of becoming a doctor. She enjoys reading her bible when she is not busy helping the smaller children at HCRM. She describes her ideal parents as a kind couple who love the Lord like she does.

Eliane Raphael (Oct 19, 1995)

Eliane is a 15 year-old girl who came to HCRM in 2004 at the age of 9 with her sister Mazela.Her parents found themselves unable to provide for the two girls.They placed them in the orphanage at that time.She’s a hard worker who helps to clean the orphanage and enjoys playing with dolls.She would like to become a doctor and helps with any sick children in the orphanage.Her favorite color is pink and her favorite food is pancakes.She hopes to be adopted by a Christian family.

Milange Belizaire (Feb. 20, 1996)

Milange is a 15 year-old girl who came to HCRMin 2004 with her sister Midrene (see below).Their father died when they were 9 years old and Milange and Midrene became homeless.She believes that her mother is still living, but she has not seen her since that time.She has two sisters who have already been adopted but she does not know where they are and is not in contact with them.Milange loves to sing.She dreams of being a doctor or nurse one day so she can help people.She is looking for a Christian family. She is a faithful friend and liked by the other children at the orphanage. She likes to cook and is helpful with chores.

Sylvan “LaLan” Blaise (Oct. 20, 1996)

LaLan is a shy and beautiful 14 year old girl who has an internal sense of productivity. She makes sure all of her chores in the kitchen are done each morning before playing any games. Her dream is to one day be a dancer and get dance lessons when she comes to her new family. Even though she doesn't like being the spotlight she still wants to be brave and one day dance on stage. She is a sweetheart and is loved by many at the orphanage.She loves the Lord and shares Christ’s love by showing kindness to all she meets..

Jean Fortune(June 2, 1997)

Jean is a 13 year-old boy who was brought to HCRM when he was about 3 years old.He was extremely malnourished to the point that he could not walk.He has some mental challenges but is healthy otherwise. He responds when spoken to, but never initiates conversation. This special needs child is the nicest boy one could hope to meet.He likes to sing and works hard at the orphanage.He enjoys giving and receiving lots of hugs. He needs a warm, caring family.

Mazela Raphael (Jan. 6, 1998)

Mazela came to HCRM in 2004 with her sister Eliane (see above). Mazela says she loves to dance (ballet).She desires to become a doctor so she can help people the way she has been helped by HCRM. Her favorite foods are pizza and hamburgers and she likes to drink juice. She enjoys cooking, which has been a blessing to the orphanage. Mazela has a beautiful smile and any family would be privileged to love such a sweet girl.

Pascale Dimanche (March 13, 1998)

Pascale is a 13 year-old girl who came to HCRM in 2003, as her mother lives in extreme poverty. She says that she prefers being at HCRM because she “gets enough food and can go to school”. She is very smart and speaks English quite well. She is very outgoing and is a leader at the orphanage. With her leadership abilities, it will be exciting to see what this bright young lady will accomplish when she becomes adopted.

Midrene Belizaire (March 12, 2000)

Midrene is 11 years old and came to HCRM with her sister Milange (see above). She is a “girly girl” who loves to look good and exemplify everything it means to be feminine. She has tons of energy and is one of the friendliest at HCRM. She loves creating new hair styles for her friends and experimenting in the kitchen. She truly cares about people and her personal ambition is to one day be a nurse. As for now her big concern is finding something pink to wear when she meets her new family. This bubbly personality with her easy smile will lighten up everyone she meets.

Jean-Cadet Petit-Frere (Jan. 10, 2001)

Jean-Cadet is a 10 year-old boy who came to HCRM in 2008 when his father became sick, lost his job and felt that he would die.His mother had already passed away.His father is still living but is unable to provide for him.Jean-Cadet is known for working very hard and he loves to play soccer and basketball. He has a very playful side and has a great sense of humor. He hopes for a Christian family that is loving and kind and thinks it would be great if they were interested in mission work and helping others.